


The Mask Makes Me Bold

by ama_janee



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Bath Sex, Dom/sub Undertones, Light Dom/sub, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Stranger Sex, tags will be updated as i publish chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-07 09:35:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17363534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ama_janee/pseuds/ama_janee
Summary: Stranger sex kink, run into a mysterious stranger each night at the masquerade that you end up banging bc why the fuck not, it’s the masquerade, people are like this sometimes. Each night is different main character. Various kinks emerge based on character (check the tags and chapter notes)





	1. Set the Scene

**Author's Note:**

> Okay friends, beloved readers, darling buddies of mine. Let’s have a brief chat. This is not set in current canon, in fact not set in any confirmed canon that I know of. This is set pre any game events. Nadia isn’t married to Lucio, Portia isn’t a palace worker, none of them have their magic marks or the respective abilities relating to them. Don’t question why they’re all here and sometimes know each other without the reasoning given in canon, cause idk they just wanted to party and are all besties in some other timeline. With all that in mind, happy belated Masquerade and please enjoy this fuck fest!

It’s the biggest event in Vesuvia, the party not a single person would miss, attracting visitors from all over the world. Visitors like myself, in town for the given reason of visiting family that I would hardly see because really I was here for the party of the year. Who wasn’t here for that though?

The extravagant clothes I donned were a luxury I hardly afforded, but you didn’t spare any expense for the Masquerade. Not when it was a chance to mingle in and out of your class, with stranger after stranger, having nothing but your body and mask to impress them with- assuming your intent was to impress. And that was indeed my intent, of course. The appeal of finding an attractive person that you’ll never really know, and then never see after your encounter, had an odd appeal that I couldn’t get my mind off of.

I finally arrive at the palace, the glitz of the setting driving all of my thoughts far out of my head. The sheer number of colors and extravagant sights capture me in awe for quite a while, until the jostling crowd keeps me moving towards the palace. 

Having attended a masquerade previously I knew it never hurt to start in the main ballroom. It was easy from there to wander the main halls and get a sense of the various events and themes that were set in each room. When I finally make it to the ballroom I am pleased to find a small break in the crowd, as most people in this room are gathered around a man with a commanding presence and, even more notably, a shining gold arm with harshly clawed fingers. It’s unmistakably the count. 

I skirt the edges of the group, not sure if I want to get closer or run from the energy of the count. I notice a few feet away from me stands a commanding looking woman, a noble of some sorts, though definitely not from this area, and a person with an air of pure elegance standing near her. Though they both seem so stunning, the masks hiding their features can’t cover the distaste written across their faces. Before I really notice, I am gravitating farther around the group, in their direction. I don’t realize how close I’ve gotten until the elegant person abruptly turns around, smacking directly into me. Our masks clack against each other, each one knocked off and landing loudly on the ground. The person bends down immediately, standing with both masks in hand. A gentle expression greets me as they hand the mask over to me. I take it and fumble with it, trying to re-secure the mask over my face. The person laughs softly, and with light touches secures my mask in place. They refasten their own mask and grin a bit smugly at me. It’s that expression that causes me to realize that I’m openly gaping at the attractive stranger, and I snap my mouth shut. 

“I hope I’ll see you again tonight.” Their voice is so soft it barely cuts the noise, and before I can react they’ve turned away. I notice a curious looking snake poke above the stranger’s collar, and then they’ve disappeared into the crowd. I crane my neck for a moment trying to find them but sigh in resignation when I don’t even catch a glimpse of the slicked back white hair. I turn back towards the group surrounding the count and find myself making eye contact with the beautiful woman I saw earlier. She smirks at me briefly before she enters a conversation with a passing girl with a shock of pretty red hair. I move away from the crowd, noticing a large man lurking in the shadows before being shoved along by the crowds. I somehow find myself outside on the lavishly decorated balcony, overlooking the gardens. I notice a glisten of familiar looking hair moving through the hedges below. I decide then how I’ll take this masquerade, and set off down the stairs into the towering maze.


	2. A Rinse with Asra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gentle bath sex, some over-stimulation, light dom undertones

I find myself getting more confused with each twist of the maze, wondering if I’ll ever find my way out. Thoughts of the attractive white-haired person were slipping from my mind as I focused on trying to remember which way I had gone to get this far, desperately trying to retrace my steps just to escape the towering masses of leaves. I made the next turn, through an ornate arch of branches and find myself in a small garden clearing. There are trees and flowers lining the perimeter, and right in the center is an ornately glistening fountain. The water shimmers in an almost mystical way, glowing from within the depths of the water. 

I’m so in awe of the beautiful fountain I don’t even process that sitting on the lip is the beautiful white-haired person I had been trying so hard to find in the first place. Their costume is a simple but somehow ethereal look, a flowing robe and lots of sheer fabric combining for an overall classy look that showed just enough skin to be flashy. I flushed slightly when we made eye contact, realizing I had been staring again. The stranger’s lips quirk slightly as if they’re suppressing a laugh or smile. 

“Why don’t you come and join me?” I’m startled by the voice, not expecting for the incredibly beautiful stranger to address me in any way. I nod wordlessly, moving to sit beside them. I notice the snake peeking above the collar of the costume.   
“This lovely lady is Faust,” the words are accompanied with a gesture to the snake, who almost seems happy about something, “and my name is Asra. It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance.” 

I smile awkwardly in response, before remembering to introduce myself back. Sitting close to Asra I see the masculine touches to his features, but they are balanced by many pretty aspects like the slight shimmer on his cheeks, the simple gold and black color applied around his eyes, visible through the holes in his mask. He’s probably one of the prettiest people I’ve ever seen. His voice is light but cuts through all of the background noises, easily commanding focus when he speaks. 

“Do you live near here, or have you traveled for the masquerade?” I ask him. 

“I live here, I have my whole life. If you’ve been here before you may have seen my shack in the market, I do fortune readings. In fact, I could do a reading for you now if you’d like.” I nod quickly, excited as I’ve never had my fortune read. Asra pulls out an elegantly painted deck of cards and shuffles them with quick and sure movements. He spreads half the deck on the fountain lip between us. “Pick the card that is calling to you.” 

He says, his voice lower and eager now. I look at the spread of cards and just choose one at random, holding it out to Asra’s inspection. “The fool.” He says, a small smile lighting his face up. “They stand for new beginnings, for an unexpected future, and for improvising and acting carefree. It’s a good card for you, I think.” 

He puts his hand over the card, long fingers brushing my hand as he takes the card from me and places it with the rest of the deck. There’s a quiet moment while he fidgets with his deck, and then I notice the faint sound of the music coming from the palace. I slowly stand from the fountain, holding a hand to Asra. 

“Would you care to dance with me?” I ask, feeling a bit more daring after sitting and actually speaking to Asra for a short while. He has a pulsing energy, one that draws you in and charges you up. I want to be closer, to feel more of that energy- more of him. His responding smile is probably the most real one I’ve seen all night, a grin that lights up his whole face. I’m excited that he’s so eager to dance with me, as I really don’t feel I am worth the enthusiasm of someone so gorgeous. But he is quickly standing, gently holding one of my hands and placing a light hand on my waist. He holds me close, our bodies touching with a feeling of great intimacy, even though we’re practically strangers. I feel charged up with excitement and pure vibrant energy that I can hardly describe. The moment is so perfect, I don’t notice the cool coil of a little snake around my ankle until it is too late and I’m stumbling into the fountain’s edge.

While I may have been able to catch myself, Asra’s weight is pulled down with me and sends us both over the edge and straight into the fountain pool. I resurface from the shallow water, sputtering with confusion and shock. Asra, however, doesn’t seem to be feeling either of those emotions and instead is fixing little Faust with a harsh glare. It almost looks like the two are having a silent argument, and in a moment it ends with Faust sticking her tongue out and slipping off into the trees. Just after she disappears, a frantic looking palace servant comes rushing into the clearing. 

“I heard the splash and came running, I had warned the master to look at the uneven spots by the fountain, but he just threatened me so nothing was done,” she sighs deeply and then takes a calming breath before continuing, “I’ll offer you one of the nicest baths we have in the palace, and we’ll replace your costumes. The master would be so disappointed if we had dripping wet guests wandering around.” The girl helps us stumble out of the water and leads us through a narrow path in the maze that seems to be a straight shot to the palace balcony stairs. I figure it must be for servants to be able to get from place to place quickly without having to deal with getting lost in the complex maze. We’re ushered through some thin servants halls until the girl opens an ornate door, revealing a bath larger than my entire hut back at home. There’s already a set of robes laid out, along with multiple colorful vials lining the perimeter of the tub. The servant twists some knobs and water starts to flow into the bath. She inclines her head to us before scurrying out of the room without letting Asra or I address the obvious issue that there is no privacy for either of us, and we were not together.

“I’ll just face the other way while you’re changing,” Asra says with a small shrug. He doesn’t seem bothered by the thought of sharing a bath at all. In fact, he just immediately hands me one of the robes before turning away and starting the undo the fastenings of his costume. I gape as he exposes his upper back, and he glances at me over his shoulder with a smirk on his face. “Are you going to get changed or just watch me undress?” 

I quickly turn away from him and start to slide out of my wet costume. I look at the robe with apprehension, noticing a lot of sheer material that will cover very little of anything. I slide it on anyways, figuring some cover is better than none. The top hangs off my shoulder and exposes most of my chest, and the little fabric covering the rest of my chest is completely see through. I am thankful that below the pretty belt the fabric is solidly colored and completely not see through. I peak over my shoulder to make sure Asra is changed and exhale with relief to see him covered by a similarly styled robe and stepping into the water. I turn fully and approach the tub with some hesitation. 

Asra, now lounging by a tall window at the opposite end of the tub, smiles reassuringly. “Come on in, the water is wonderful. And I won’t bite!” I blush at the thought and am so caught up in my own flustered thoughts that I don’t notice the way Asra’s eyes narrow slightly and how he mischievously smiles at me. “Unless you’d like for me to bite you. In that case, I may not be able to take my mouth off of you.”

I can feel my face heating up at his blunt flirtations, though I’m sure he’s just teasing. I almost trip into the water but manage to calm myself down enough to get into the tub like a normal person. One full body dip was more than enough for today. Asra moves closer while I slip into the water, the warmth relaxing muscles that I hadn’t realized were tense. Asra catches my hand, smiling at me when I fix him with a look of confusion. 

“Our dance was interrupted so I thought we could resume now that we’re alone.” I nod slowly, letting him place his other hand on my waist. He doesn’t set it lightly like he had last time, but instead winds his hand behind my back and pulls me flush against him. If I had thought we were close before, it was nothing compared to now. I stare up at Asra and he fixes me with one of his prettiest expressions that I’ve seen so far. “Maybe we could do a _different_ kind of dance if you’re up for it.”

He’s leaning in slowly, letting me process and think before making a noise of consent and leaning in to meet him in the middle. Our lips meet softly, and he moves as if ready for me to retreat at any moment. I press against him with a little more intent, and only then does he start moving his lips against mine. Every movement is slow, passionate, and breathtaking. I feel overwhelmed but comfortable as if it’s okay to just feel instead of think. Asra’s hand digs into my back slightly, holding me as if he can’t bear the thought of me moving away. Yet he’s the one who breaks the kiss first, moving his lips to my jaw and down my neck. He pauses and sucks harshly sometimes but then he’s giving feather light kisses to the same spot before moving onto somewhere else. When he gets to the base of my neck he suddenly bites down on my skin, hard enough to sting but not break any skin. I make a noise that I’m not sure the cause of, as it felt equal parts pain and pleasure. Asra lets go of my hand then, sliding the open collar of the robe down my arm as he continues to kiss down my chest. He stops to lavish attention on my nipples, alternating between gentle sucks and rough nips that leave me a moaning mess. I cling almost helplessly to Asra, pressing my nails into the skin of his shoulder as he works. I can feel something pressing against me and realizing I’ve been bucking my hips against his. I feel pleased that I’m somehow managing to get him worked up as well. 

Asra tugs at the ties on the belt of the robe, and when the belt falls away so does the rest of the robe. I almost feel overexposed, but the water conceals about the same amount as the robe did anyways. Asra unties his own belt, the silken material falling away and leaving him just as bare as me. His skin is beautifully smooth and soft and I can’t keep my hands off of him any longer. We engage in another kiss, more heated and desperate than the last one. Asra’s hands slide over my thighs, spreading them open. I can feel him lining up against me and whimper as he teases the head of his cock at my entrance. 

He doesn’t tease for long, soon snapping his hips forward and sheathing himself fully inside of me. I cry out at the sudden stretch and cling to Asra desperately. He stays still and mutters soothing words against my lips while I adjust. It doesn’t take long before I’m grinding my hips against him, but he stays still. I make a noise of complaint and he pulls his lips away with me and gives me a disapproving stare. “I’ll move when I’m ready. You’ll be patient until then.”

I whine but he just gives me another look and I still my hips and pout. He lets me wait another moment before slowly pulling out until his tip is barely inside me. He moves in even slower somehow, and it’s the most agonizingly pleasurable thing I’ve ever experienced. He keeps the same steady pace for so long that I can barely form a coherent thought, and nothing but a string of pitiful whines and moans can fall from my lips. I try to push against him a few times but he always resists. I’m wrecked by the time he says “You can beg and I’ll reward you.” It’s hard for me to use my voice to actually make words at this point, but I manage a let out a string of desperate pleas. He smiles warmly at me and in a low voice praises my manners. 

He finally moves in earnest, quick and hard snaps of his hips driving himself at just the right angle inside of me. The relief is instantaneous and I practically sob in pleasure as I can finally feel my release approaching. “Cum for me angel, you can let go now.” 

Asra’s words tip me over the edge and I fall slack against him as I release. I can feel myself clench tightly around him and he makes a low noise in his throat. He continues thrusting through my release, chasing his own now. My insides ache and clench with every thrust, the sensitivity proving to be almost unbearable as he continues his thrusts until finally his hips stutter and press as deep inside me as he can. He holds me tightly as he releases inside me. I think I’m crying as he slides out of me, but I can barely feel it anymore. He’s speaking softly, reassuring and praising me as his hands massage and soothe my now aching muscles. He grabs one of the vials from the edge of the tub and pours it liberally into his palm. He cleans me off from my hair to chest to thighs and to toes, and I swear I can see his palm glowing when it bushes over my neck and chest where he littered marks and bites onto my skin. I feel good as new when he’s done, and notice that I don’t see any visible marks on my skin. 

“You were very good, you know. I’m happy I got to meet you.” I mummer something in response, I think some sort of agreement. Asra smiles softly and helps me rise from the water. “Allow me to help you home?” I don’t remember much of the trip, but I wake up the next morning in my family’s home with a new costume hanging in the closet. On the bedside table is a mask I don’t recognize and a small note with quickly scrawled handwriting across it.   
“I noticed your mask had a crack in it, so I took the liberty of giving you this one I had made. Fortunately, it matched the costume the palace gifted you. I hope we’ll cross paths again someday.  
~Asra”


	3. A Night with Nadia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light dom undertones, eating out, gentle.

After last night’s experience, I wasn’t sure about returning to the masquerade. Not because I hadn’t enjoyed it- only because I had enjoyed it so much that I wasn’t sure if anything could happen at tonight’s party that would even remotely compare to yesterday’s excitement. In the end, I figured it would be rude to refuse the gifts from Asra and the palace because they were so stunning it would be an insult to not reveal the outfit to the general public. 

The crowds were about the same as yesterday, a thick tangle of people awaited no matter which hall you traveled through. I avoided the ballroom today, deciding to try some of the more famous rooms of the masquerade. The lines are long in the bubble room, and I realize I hadn’t eaten today since I had slept until the sun was high. After I awoke I was focusing all of my attention on getting ready for tonight, eating had completely slipped my mind. 

Fortunately, there were plenty of food-based rooms to have me covered, and I went to the ever renowned rainbow room to eat the best of what palace chefs had to offer the people of Vesuvia. Every single crumb was fit for a king, or, more accurately, the count. There was a constantly pervading rumor that if Lucio found something that didn’t meet his standards, the people involved with that display or room or meal would pay for the smallest mistake with their lives. There was never any proof to back this up, except for the large scale help hirings directly after the masquerade’s end. But that is formally explained with the claim that the stress of the masquerade drives many newer staff members to quit the moment it ends. 

I work my way steadily through the mounds of colorful foods and find myself an empty table to sit at. I notice a pair of redheads at a neighboring table, they appear to be bickering. Though the man is significantly taller and, I assume, older than his companion, it is evident that the smaller girl is dominating the argument. They offer a good bit of entertainment until the girl gives up on the discussion and just smacks the man’s shoulder before storming off. He leaves a half-eaten plate behind as he hurries after her to continue his defense. I finish my food and leave the rainbow room soon after, feeling too tempted by the main table to stay there much longer. 

The crowds in the halls are worse now, the party kicking into high gear with the setting sun. It’s difficult to move with any destination in mind, as most of the flow seems to be pushing towards the ballroom or outside. I notice an upcoming row of decorated doors and start pushing in hopes of finding diminished crowds in one of the rooms. 

I manage to break through the crowd and enter a less crowded room through a simple wooden door. The room was lively with music and talk, it seemed as though it was pair dancing here. Though people didn’t keep the same partner, they traveled from person to person in the dance, staying with a new partner for no more than a minute before moving to the next one. I noticed that sometimes a pair would exit the dance if their conversation was engaging enough. 

A man who had also been standing and watching the dance as well approached me, asking if I would like to join the dance with him. It seemed like fun, so I accepted, and we cut into the circle of partners. He was polite through the entire brief moment we spent together, and I wondered if I would get to meet him again. The masks of my partners started to blend together, stranger after stranger joining hands with me for the briefest of conversational exchange before moving on to the next. No one really held my attention but everyone was good for the short time we danced together. 

At least that held true until the man in the hippo mask. He did not hold attention in a good way, or even in a decent way. He was, in most polite terms, disgusting. Too handsy, unkempt, crude comments, overly forceful with his flirtations. Overly forceful in general actually. I was more than ready for the next switch, but the man kept a firm grasp on my hand, starting to pull me off the dance floor. 

I resist his hold as best I can, but I’m unfortunately not large enough to get him to let go. I don’t want to make a scene though, so I give one final desperate tug. My arm slips from his grasp, and I hardly have time to feel grateful before I lose my balance and stumble backward straight into another person. I turn and find myself facing a woman draped in some of the finest materials I’ve ever seen. Her mask is ornate and gilded, and each piece of jewelry compliments it. She looks at me, then at the man who was again approaching, and then she moves into action. She gently moves me behind her, standing tall and directing her gaze at the man with one of the most disapproving looks I’ve ever seen. 

“Are you bothering someone just because they don’t find you worthy of their time? It’s no wonder that they don’t want to be around you if this is the way you act! You’ll either escort yourself from this room, or I’ll direct one of my guards to do drag you out.” The man withers under her commanding tone and the stares of people who have turned to watch the spectacle. He slinks away, hurriedly moving out the door and down the hall. The woman turns to me with a kind smile, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “There, it’s all right now. But you seem very shaken up, would you like to go somewhere quieter and calm down there?” 

I nod in agreement, and she leads me from the room, down the twisting corridors of the palace. She moves in towards the center of the palace, the rooms here are reserved for visiting dignitaries to stay in for the duration of the party. She stops before one of the doors, pulling out a chain with a key attached to it and she opens the door. The room is stunning, a large bed with canopies and piles of pillows taking up the central space, but even with the huge bed there is more room then I would know what to do with. The woman leads me to the plush bed, helping me to settle comfortably on the edge of the bed. Her touch is calming, soft strokes through my hair as I continue to tremble against her. 

“Come now, letting a man like that drag you into this state is quite unbecoming. You should only submit when _you_ want, so don’t let him take over your mind like this.” I nod at her words, but talk can only do so much when I’m worked up like this. The woman sighs deeply and adjusts her posture to better face me. “My name is Nadia. What is yours?” 

I respond to her, and she asks about meaningless things, where I live, favorite color, favorite food, how long I’ve been in Vesuvia, tells how long she’s been in Vesuvia. Evidently, she’s a visiting noble from Praka. Our conversation lets me calm down and then all together forget the frightening experience. Throughout our talk, I am gradually drawn closer to Nadia as if I just can’t bear to sit far away from her. I’m practically laying with my head in her lap when she starts to ask questions along with a more _personal_ line. “Would you like to completely forget that man’s touch?”

I stare into Nadia’s ruby colored eyes and think that if she’s offering what I think she’s offering, then I definitely did want it. She was regal, elegant, beautiful, and kind to deal with the man so effectively. I nod up at her, and she smiles at me. 

“I’m going to ask you to let me take the lead, my dear, can you do that?” I nod easily, she’s been in control of the situation since I bumped into her, it only made sense to continue. She bends to meet me in a kiss, her lips are smooth and gentle at first, but she takes it slow for a few moments before coaxing my mouth open and starting to explore with her tongue. I whine slightly as she feels around my mouth, feeling strange without the freedom to explore back. It just doesn’t feel like it’s my place to try and take any moment of control on this embrace. 

Nadia moves slowly but with purpose, each movement firm and filled with intent. I lose myself in the kiss, in her taste and in the small noise of contentment she makes while exploring. I move a hand into her hair, pulling to try and get her closer. She resists moving closer, in fact, she ends the kiss and frowns slightly at me. “Come now, I asked for you to give me control.” 

I just nod, and Nadia guides me to a sitting position before helping me off the bed, kneeling at her feet. She reaches down and unties my mask, setting it on her bedside table. She methodically undoes every fastening at the back of my costume, letting it fall off my torso and pool on my legs and the floor. I blush as she drags her hand down my chest before she stands and disrobes herself. She’s even more beautiful without the mask, and I openly gape at every new inch of skin she exposes. She looks smug as she slowly slides out of her dress. She sits on the edge of the bed once she is undressed, and spreads her legs before me. “Would you like a taste darling?” 

I can’t help the noise I make or the blush that blooms across my face. I’m embarrassed but nod obediently. Nadia takes a grip of my hair and guides me to her entrance. I’m hesitant at first, careful with every movement of my tongue, doing my best to gauge her subtle responses. The best I can draw from her is a tightened grip on my hair and some breathy moans, so I work with more enthusiasm to try and attract more response from her. I’m instantly rewarded with a tightened grip and sweet moan, so I repeat the action with a similar reaction. It is evident that she’s getting close to her release, so I involve my hand to help her along. It isn’t long before she briefly fucks my face, moaning softly as she releases. 

Her hand leaves my hair, and I pull back slightly to catch my breath. I am not given an adequate break, Nadia is pulling me up and dragging me onto the bed now. My back lands against the plush pile of pillows and Nadia kneels over me. Our lips press together as her hand moves lower, moving with accuracy that has me shaking with pleasure in seconds. I know I won’t last long, already so worked up from pleasing her. The skill of her touch and her kiss doesn’t help. Actually, it helps immensely. I whimper as I approach the edge. Nadia breaks the kiss to move her lips down the column of my throat, and then over my chest. She uses the slightest hint of teeth and exceptionally twists her wrist, and then I’m over the edge. My body quakes with pleasure, and I cry out. She keeps moving her hand through my release, drawing it out to the point of sensitivity. I’m gasping when she draws her hand away from me and settles next to me on the bed. She has a pleased smile on her face, and she looks like an absolute goddess. I can hardly believe that such a woman would want to spend her time with me, but here we are.

“Are you feeling better now?” Her voice breaks me out of my thoughts, and I remember how I ended up with Nadia in the first place.

“I practically forgot what had happened! Thank you for spending time with me, Nadia,” 

“It really was my pleasure. Is there anything I can get you? I’m sure the servants would be more than happy to provide,” 

“No, you’ve done so much already. I’ll get dressed and head out now,”

“You will do no such thing. I’ll have the servants prepare you a temporary room, you’re in no state to travel home alone. You can go back in the morning when you’ve recovered better.”

“Oh, I couldn’t-” Nadia’s frown stops me from continuing, and I instead nod at her. The servant comes quickly when called, armed with a robe for me to wear to the room. Nadia wishes me goodnight as I leave and I return the sentiment. The place I’m given is much smaller than Nadia’s, but it still puts my room in the shop to shame. I settle in and fall asleep almost instantly, dreaming of Nadia’s sweet touches.


End file.
